Sunday Afternoon
by AshGurl2897
Summary: In response to his Dad's prodding, Ben wonders whether Amy is pregnant, and Amy finally tells him the truth. The pair discusses the future. Spoilers for 1x04, potentially bits of 1x05 if you haven't seen the previews or can't figure where it's headed.


Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. They belong to Brenda Hampton. As much as I want my very own Ben, he is not mine.  
Note: I'm just gonna admit right up front that some people might think this is cheesy but I think it is in the same vein of writing as the show. This started out as another short drabble-ish thing with Ben thinking about the "what if" Amy was pregnant, but it became much more. This isn't the way the story is going to play out (as we've seen in the previews they are outside when they talk), but I had to write it anyway. These two are so magnificent. I can't wait to see what's in store for them. God, I love this pair. So, yes. Spoilers for 1x04 and I guess potentially bits of 1x05 even though I haven't seen it and I am fabricating this whole bit after the first five hundred words or so. Enjoy and reviews are appreciated!  
--

"Pregnant?"

"Yeah, you know, is she gonna have a baby?" Mr. Boykewich said.

"Amy, are we still talking about Amy?" Ben asked, shocked that his father had asked such a question. "What? No! She can't be pregnant, I just kissed her. Just that one kiss. It was just a kiss," Ben answered, looking "the sausage king" straight in the eye. Ben was telling the truth. Kissing was all they had done, and no kiss - regardless of how spectacular it may have been - was capable of impregnating his girlfriend. At least that was the way Ben had learned it. Still deep in thought, he reached into the bowl beside him and put another piece of popcorn in his mouth.

_Pregnant_, he thought. _How could she be pregnant?_ Suddenly, his gaze changed from intent and sure to a revelatory stare. _Ricky. What if she had done something with Ricky, something more than she'd admitted to, and now she was pregnant? It would explain her consumption of such large amounts of food -- and her throwing up without warning on the incredibly tame carousel ride. No,_ he shook his head, trying his best to dismiss the thought. _Couldn't be. Amy wouldn't have kept this from me, would she? _

Still, Ben couldn't shake the feeling that his Dad might be right. He had to call her. But, if he'd learned anything from his missteps earlier in the week, it was that he couldn't - and shouldn't - confront her about this. She needed to tell him when she was ready, he could make himself available for her to talk to, but that was it. _Maybe that's what she was telling her girlfriends, but couldn't tell me. _He suddenly felt very sad and scared on her behalf. If she was pregnant, it couldn't be an easy thing to deal with and he didn't need to add his own drama into the mix. He'd done enough idiotic things for one week. He sighed.

_--_

"Tomorrow seems like a long time from now. But, it is a Sunday," he replied. "I like Sundays, especially in the afternoon. You wanna study? I'll make you some wings," he waited for her response but the other end of the phone was silent. "Come on, you love wings. With a little ranch on the side," he offered, gently.

"Well, maybe I could," Amy replied, letting her guard down. "Okay," she replied, with what sounded to Ben like a smile on her face. It was the first time that Ben could remember her smiling all week. He missed her smiles.

"What time? Noon?"

"Mmhm," she replied and hung up.

He would pick her up, take her to his house, make her wings, help her with math homework (like he always ended up doing) and when the moment was right, ask her if she was okay because he'd been noticing she'd been seeming sad and distant lately. It was the best plan he could come up with without including Alice, who he thought didn't need to know that his girlfriend may or may not be pregnant by another guy. Besides, Amy was the one he told all his secrets to now. He had Amy, Alice and Henry had each other.

--

By two o'clock, they were sprawled out on the floor, Ben on the right of Amy, with notebooks and a math book opened just in front of them. They'd managed to finish most of Monday's math assignment -- together.

"These wings are really good," Amy replied sincerely, sucking a little bit of extra ranch off her index finger. "Thanks for making them."

"You're welcome," he replied with an honest grin, propping himself up on his side with his right arm. "I like to see you happy," he added frankly. She smiled in response. "Is anything the matter, Amy?" His eyes somehow softened. "Before you answer that, I want you to know that I'm not trying to pry or be annoying, I'm just worried. You've been kind of withdrawn as of late, and I know you need to have things between your girlfriends and you. I get that, now. I just want to make sure that you know that whatever is going on, whether it's something I've caused or not, you can always talk to me. I am not here to judge or get mad at you. Far from it." He paused momentarily to let that settle in. "You're probably tired of hearing it," he began again. "But, I love you."

Several tears trickled down Amy's face, and though she began to blink profusely, her eyes never lost contact with his as he searched hers and waited for an answer. He scooted his body closer to her, wrapping his left arm around her.

"Oh, Ben," she cried, closing what little space there was between them in an embrace. She knocked him off balance and onto his back, before tumbling on top of him.

"Whoa," he exclaimed, grabbing her tightly. "Hey, come here," he whispered, using his now free right hand to pull himself up and rest his back on the nearest solid object; his bed. She moved with him as he moved, and once he was vertical again, he repositioned himself to cradle her against his shoulder.

"Ben," she continued to sniffle. "That's why it's so hard for me to tell you this. I wanted to, I just didn't know how to. You or my parents."

"Tell me what, Amy?" he asked softly, as she looked up at him. She blinked a few times and swallowed hard.

"I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant and I don't know what to do. I can't tell my parents. They'll never understand. It was a mistake, it was all a mistake." Ben brushed a finger across her face and caught a tear on it.

"Amy. You could have told me," he whispered. "Since we haven't - well, you know - I assume it belongs to Ricky, huh?" She closed her eyes and nodded.

"At band camp. I didn't even know it was happening till it was over. I never said yes. I thought I could hide from it. I wanted to deny it for as long as possible. I've known for weeks now, just before I met you. Then there you were, being amazing, and everything you did was twice as amazing because I knew I didn't deserve it. I knew we couldn't last, but I didn't want to mess us up."

The truth was, that right about now Ben wanted to kill Ricky. What a jerk! How could he have done this to her? Ben collected himself, knowing that none of that macho chivalrous stuff would be helpful at this point.

"Amy, your existence makes you worth it. The fact that you choose to share your time with me, the fact that - - you are you." He reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers. "I would have found out eventually. I would have noticed you change," he replied, touching her abdomen ever so lightly. "To tell the truth, my Dad asked me if you were. I had no clue. You hid it well, until he said something. Then I saw that maybe you were. I couldn't let you suffer through it alone any longer if you were willing to tell me."

"You mean, you still want to see me, even like this? You don't hate me for not telling you?" Her voice was timid and surprised.

"What? No way. God, I love you, Amy. How many times do I have to say that before you believe it? I love you, pregnant or not. Even if it isn't my baby - which it's not - it doesn't make me love you any less. Nothing you could do would ever change that. Love is a choice, Amy. It's also an emotion, but it's a choice to care so deeply about someone that you would sacrifice yourself for them in any way that is necessary. I know we haven't been together for that long, but -- " he trailed off.

"I don't know what to say, Ben," she replied, her eyes wide, shocked but clearly thrilled that he didn't plan to break up with her. She managed a small smile, and sat up straight, removing herself carefully from his embrace. She now sat face to face with him.

"Say you love me," he replied, his eyes wide and full of hope. "Say you'll let me help you and take care of you."

"But how, Ben?"

"I'm the son of the sausage king. That has to count for something!" He replied. She breathed out a small laugh. He was glad he could still make her laugh. "Won't you say it?" he asked. "I know it's hard, but don't you believe me when I say I love you and I'll do my best for you?" She stopped him speaking by placing her hand on his mouth.

"Stop," she said. "Yes, I do. I do believe you. I'm just scared," she paused. "I love you." She hesitated. "Will you be here with me, please?"

"Always," Ben replied, taking her hands in his and fixing his eyes on hers. Then he pressed his lips to hers kissing deliberate, separate, kisses that were gentle and slow. For the first time, Amy felt no guilt in kissing her boyfriend, not even a twinge. Ben knew now, and she could stop hiding from him.

Ben knew that what lay ahead was not going to be easy for either of them, especially not Amy. He also knew that loving her was all he knew how to do anymore. To do anything else would have been wrong, and he had no desire to. She had given her heart to him at a time when she was her most vulnerable and he didn't take that responsibility lightly. She'd made his life a thousand times better for being in it, and now it was his turn to give back. His darling Amy loved him, and he intended to protect her, provide for her, and to foster their love and future together, regardless of what came their way.


End file.
